Movistar confirms Orluis Aular for 2026 Vuelta a España

Venezuelan cyclist Orluis Aular will officially participate in his third Vuelta a España when the race begins with an individual time trial in Monaco on Saturday. The 29-year-old rider from Yaracuy has been included in the Movistar Team's announced roster for the 2026 Spanish tour, which runs from August 22 to September 13.

Aular is assigned to the sprints for the Movistar squad, which will be led by Enric Mas. This marks Aular's second appearance in the Vuelta with Movistar, having previously competed in 2023 with Caja Rural and in 2025 with Movistar. He has come close to securing a stage victory in previous editions, finishing second in one stage in 2023 and third on the opening day in 2025.

The national champion of Venezuela recently finished 14th in the ADAC Cyclassics in Hamburg, Germany, matching the winner's time. Aular, who also competed in the Giro d'Italia in 2026, has climbed four spots in the world rankings and is now positioned at 109.

The exclusion of Colombian cyclist Nairo Quintana from the Movistar Team's Vuelta a España squad has generated disappointment and speculation within the cycling community. Quintana, the 2016 Vuelta champion, is in his final professional year and had reportedly prepared for this race as his farewell event. Colombian media outlets are now suggesting his retirement might occur at the Cycling World Championships in Montreal instead. The Movistar lineup for the Vuelta also includes Cian Uijtdebroeks, Iván Romeo, Pablo Castrillo, Raúl García Pierna, Jorge Arcas, and Carlos Canal.